When Burckhardt arrived in Barbar on March 23, 1812, he expanded his account as it was an important trade point and crossing for caravans of traders and pilgrims from Sennar and western Africa heading north to Egypt or east to Suakin
Barbar’s importance declined when a railway line linked Atbara and Port Sudan, the same reason that turned Suakin into piles of stones here.
Although Barbar survived and did not suffer Suakin’s fate, its urban remains spanning multiple eras now face the same destiny as new houses encroach on ruins and local authorities seize sites meant to be protected as archaeological heritage sites.
As for ancient remains, the oldest is a church in Al-Qeiger suburb, but the Nile eroded it, leaving little visible when the river recedes in May.
As for Barbar’s modern history, Ottoman authorities (Turkish rule: 1821–1885) made it the capital of Barbar Province. It remained a commercial hub and a transit point for pilgrims traveling to Mecca and those arriving from various regions, who would stay there awaiting the movement of their caravans to Suakin. Among the city’s neighbourhoods known for hosting pilgrim camps were Al-Qeiger, Goz Al-Funj, Hosh Al-Dar, Al-Mukhairef, Bani Tamim, and Dar Mali, which was famous for receiving pilgrims from Mali in West Africa.
Among its surviving landmarks is Madinat Al-Hujjaj (the City of Pilgrims) and the earthen city rampart that surrounds it in a semicircle from north to south, resembling the fortifications Gordon constructed around Khartoum during its siege. It is originally the earth excavated from a trench dug around the city from north to south, beginning and ending at the river, allowing Nile waters to flow through it. The excavated soil thus formed an earthen embankment nearly four metres high, which remained standing as a historical landmark even after the end of Turkish rule. However, in the early 1990s, signs of encroachment on its structure began to appear.
Part of the earthen city rampart, showing the sign for the National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM)
Encroachment by authorities
The main challenges lie in the absence of a dedicated budget for the antiquities sector, noting that at times they are forced to use their own money to keep operations running.
Fatima Al-Alam, an antiquities officer in Barbar locality
Mahmoud Suleiman, the director of the General Authority for Antiquities and Museums in River Nile State, says this deterioration has worsened due to the suspension of supporting projects and insufficient funding.
Speaking to Atar, Dr Suleiman noted that archaeological sites in the Al-Mukhairef area were previously overseen and financed through the Dangeel Project, located north of Barbar and covering the heritage zones to its south within Barbar town.
The project, he added, was funded by a Qatari grant, but financing was later frozen, directly affecting the condition of those sites amid the limited government budget allocated to antiquities and museums.
Dr Suleiman revealed that one of the main challenges the Authority faces is the allocation of residential plots by authorities in Barbar locality within archaeological boundaries, particularly in the area of the earthen rampart surrounding Barbar.
This, he says, has led to the removal of large sections of it. Suleiman explained that citizens building in these areas possess official documents issued by the locality’s land office. He added that they have filed legal complaints against those involved in the encroachments, but these have not yet resulted in accountability.
Dr Suleiman explained that the General Authority and the regional antiquities office have remained keen on conducting regular field visits, particularly during the autumn season, to monitor the condition of archaeological sites and track ongoing encroachments. He stressed that shortcomings in protecting these sites fall primarily on the competent authorities in Barbar locality, noting that they have submitted detailed reports on the status of the archaeological sites and the violations they face, but these have not received the required response.
Fatima Yahya Al-Alam, an antiquities officer in Barbar locality, said the main challenges lie in the absence of a dedicated budget for the antiquities sector, noting that at times they are forced to use their own money to keep operations running.
Fatima told Atar that a large number of sites are not officially registered with the state’s antiquities and museums authority, which further complicates efforts to protect and monitor them. She also pointed to the absence of regular maintenance projects and annual reports documenting the condition of archaeological sites, stressing once again that this is primarily due to weak funding and the lack of a budget.
Fatima explained that monitoring is often driven by citizen complaints, after which field teams are dispatched to verify the encroachments and the matter is then escalated to the director of antiquities and museums, Dr Suleiman, who instructs that appropriate measures be taken.
She noted that she sometimes resorts to the executive director of Barbar locality to intervene in resolving certain issues, while at other times they remain unresolved.
As if it has no value
The remains of the Saraya Palace
During Atar’s visit to several archaeological sites, the team was accompanied by Hamza Al-Sanjak, who previously served as a supervisor (guardian) of the antiquity’s areas in Barbar town, a role once held by his father as well.
Al-Sanjak continues to monitor the sites and remains committed to protecting them from encroachments.
When we try to stop any encroachment, we are often surprised by people presenting official documents and land title certificates proving ownership, which puts us in a complicated position and forces us to step back.
Hamza Al-Sanjak, former supervisor of Barbar’s antiquities sites
“When we try to stop any encroachment, we are often surprised by people presenting official documents and land title certificates proving ownership, which puts us in a complicated position and forces us to step back,” Al-Sanjak told Atar.
Al-Sanjak revealed a dangerous escalation in encroachments on the earthen rampart area and several archaeological sites since the early 1990s, amid the absence of effective protection from the competent authorities. He explained that the violations began with influential parties that demolished parts of the rampart on the southwestern side under the pretext of establishing the Tenqa agricultural project, opening the door for citizens to remove additional sections estimated at more than one kilometre, in addition to constructing various structures on the rampart itself.
He noted that the embankment was officially registered as an antiquity, yet this classification has not translated into real protection. Al-Sanjak said the division of Burhan Square (north of the Tenqa project and south of Barbar market) dealt a severe blow after parts of the site were replanned and allocated as residential plots. He further confirmed that encroachments have extended to other archaeological sites near the Nile’s course, including the textile factory, parts of the dye house, the Saraya Palace, and the houses of the Mirfabi kings and the Tobabi area, where they have been treated as rubble of no value.
Al-Shazali Al-Fanoub, a historian of Barbar city told Atar that Barbar has a rich and distinctive history, as it hosted the first telegraph station in Sudan, the first swimming pool, and the first tennis court. Several of these sites have, however, been erased from memory due to neglect and lack of documentation. Al-Fanoub stressed that the absence of official attention has led to the disappearance of some areas and their failure to be registered as archaeological sites, explaining that this neglect is not recent but a continuous pattern stretching back many years.
He warned that the persistence of this situation could lead to the complete erasure of Barbar’s heritage, with its deeply rooted civilizational and cultural dimensions that cannot be replaced if lost.
By law
Dr Hadea Al-Sayed, the head of the Department of Antiquities and Museums at Nile Valley University, revealed in her remarks to Atar that there have been repeated encroachments on several sites, particularly in the Al-Mukhairef area, where structures have been built within archaeological boundaries, especially within earthen rampart sites.
Hadea attributed these violations to the negligence of some responsible government bodies, public unawareness of the Antiquities Protection Law, as well as weak enforcement of the law itself.
Notably, the Antiquities Protection Law of 1999 grants the state the right to expropriate land containing archaeological sites, with the aim of purchasing it from its owners in order to preserve the heritage. It also prohibits the establishment of development projects on archaeological sites unless the government entity intending to carry them out conducts an impact assessment on the antiquities, relocates them if necessary, and bears all associated costs.
Dr Hadea said universities, particularly specialized departments, bear significant responsibility in raising community awareness about the importance of protecting antiquities through seminars and academic activities that connect society to its historical heritage.
She noted that the Department of Antiquities and Museums at Nile Valley University, despite its recent establishment, has succeeded in building partnerships with the local community and has already begun implementing several awareness initiatives within Barbar city. The department has also organised two awareness seminars on the importance of preserving archaeological sites.
She pointed to future plans to conduct field surveys to register sites that have not yet been documented, adding that selecting Barbar as the department’s base was a successful decision due to the presence of numerous archaeological sites in the city.
The Eastern Tabiya (right) and The Western Tabiya (left)
For residents, a different view
Despite speaking of government shortcomings and funding shortages, Dr Suleiman said encroachments by some citizens remain the main cause of the overall deterioration of archaeological sites. He added that the Authority had installed informational and warning signs at the sites, but some residents removed them, a clear indication of continued violations and weak compliance with heritage protection rules.
He expressed shock at the low level of public awareness regarding the importance of safeguarding historical heritage, which he said should be a shared responsibility between official bodies and citizens.
The encroachments on archaeological sites are primarily the result of clear government neglect.
Hassan Abdullah, a resident living near the Saraya Palace and Al-Tabiya
Reinforcing the views of Dr Suleiman and Al-Sanjak, Al-Fanoub said that despite the importance of this archaeological heritage, many local residents lack a true understanding of the value of these sites, which has worsened the scale of encroachments. He added that what is happening is not limited to public ignorance, but extends to deliberate violations even by some responsible entities, further deepening the crisis.
But Barbar’s residents have their own perspective as well.
Hassan Abdullah, a resident of Barbar city living near the Saraya Palace and Al-Tabiya, told Atar that the encroachments on archaeological sites are primarily the result of clear government neglect. He explained that the sites lack even the most basic protection measures, with no guard or supervisor assigned to monitor conditions on the ground or track potential violations, leaving them vulnerable to neglect and vandalism. He added that the sites also lack fencing to protect or demarcate their boundaries, making it easier for citizens to encroach upon them.
Mustafa Ali, another resident of Barbar, told Atar that encroachments on archaeological sites in the area stem from two main factors: some citizens’ lack of awareness of the value and historical importance of these relics, along with clear government negligence in protecting them. He added that the absence of awareness and guidance has significantly contributed to the worsening of the problem.
Al-Sanjak recounts that he was subjected to insults and physical assaults while attempting to protect the sites and prevent encroachments, without receiving adequate protection or support from the responsible authorities.
“I suffered greatly in safeguarding these sites and devoted my time, effort, and even my health without any compensation, driven solely by pride in my country’s history and heritage,” he said.
He criticized the weak public awareness of the value of antiquities alongside official neglect, warning that the continuation of this situation will lead to the disappearance of what remains of these sites.
Al-Sanjak stressed that conditions are worsening day by day amid the absence of sufficient attention, calling for urgent intervention to protect this historical legacy that represents an integral part of Sudan’s identity.
A satellite image showing the old city in Berber, located within the perimeter of the earthen rampart.
Image Source: Google Earth Pro
Satellite images of Madinat Al-Hujjaj "the Pilgrims' City" in October 2004 (right), showing the ruins of the walls prominently protruding from the ground; September 2022 (center), showing that the area was surrounded by a wall; and July 2023 (left), where it appears the wall has been removed and the walls have become less protruding from the surface of the ground, meaning they have been buried or eroded.
Source: Google Earth Pro
Satellite images of the Tabiya in October 2004 (right) and July 2023 (left), showing the expansion of the agricultural area west of the historic building until it reached its borders. Agricultural plots have also appeared inside the building's courtyard.
Image source: Google Earth Pro
Satellite images showing the deterioration of the earthen rampart surrounding the old city between October 2004 (right) and July 2023 (left). The yellow line indicates the visible parts of the rampart.
Image source: Google Earth Pro
